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Equine Dentistry Without Drama™ Since 1983 - When Horsemanship Counts And Results Matter™ - Geoff Tucker, DVM Soon to become a membership site.

Equine Dentistry Without Drama™ Since 1983 - We are the best dentistry solution removing all sources of oral pain in your horses and rarely using drugs to do it. "The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship" - a book telling you the secret of connecting to any horse within 30 seconds. The Horse's Advocate™ - tips and tricks of basic horsemanship. BarnPics™ - pictures of farms and things along the road to them. Licensed in FL, GA, SC, TN, VA, AL, NY, LA & WA

01/08/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 107, “Mineral Loss, Cavities, and EOTRH In Horses” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on December 6, 2023

This podcast covers two subjects. The first concerns oral care and tooth health in horses. I reviewed a paper about peripheral carries, which is the decay of the outer edge of the cheek teeth near the gum line. I explain how the tooth is demineralized (loses minerals) as the pH of the oral cavity changes due to food and water consumption.

I also looked at two related papers. One goes over the prevalence of EOTRH (a disease of the jaw, incisors, and canine teeth of horses) in Icelandic horses living in Germany, and the other paper discusses the incidence of oral health of the incisors and canines of Icelandic horses residing in Iceland, their natural environment.

The second subject of this podcast is understanding the scientific method of reporting studies and the interpretation and further questioning I have after reading them. It requires a mind willing not to take things at face value. There is no right or wrong to my interpretations. However, I make a clear point: reading scientific papers requires a lot of thought. Being spoon-fed information gets us all in trouble while thinking “outside the box” creates more questions than answers. Through better questioning, better solutions evolve.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 107, “Mineral Loss, Cavities, and EOTRH In Horses” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on December 6, 2023 This p...

27/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 106 “With Dr James Belden - Equine Veterinarian Since 1964” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 29, 2023

Dr Belden is a 1964 Cornell Veterinary College graduate, launching him into a career with racehorses for over 30 years. He was "lucky" to have worked on three Triple Crown winners and to travel the world offering veterinary care to the best. But that's not all. After retiring from the track, he and his family moved to Wellington, Florida, and for another 30+ years, developed an active sport horse practice.

Today, at 83 years of age, Dr Belden is riding reining horses and specializing in "project horses." He took some time to sit with me to discuss a variety of subjects you all will find interesting. Sharp as a tack and with deep knowledge over more years than most, he offers his thoughts on today's approach to horse care.

This discussion took place at a "Rounds With Doc T" meeting available to members of The Horse's Advocate (TheHorsesAdvocate.com). Attendees were able to ask questions throughout our time together. It's on this podcast for all to hear worldwide because Dr. Belden's knowledge is worth sharing with everyone.

https://youtu.be/zXHthYel8Bw

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 106 “With Dr James Belden - Equine Veterinarian Since 1964” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 29, 20...

18/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 105 “The Relationship Between Dentistry and Nutrition In Horses And A Thanksgiving Message” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 22, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I have a special message at the end of this podcast, but the essence of it is this - I am thankful for each person who takes the time to listen to my podcast and then share it with others. Together, we all will Help Horses Thrive In A Human World!

I ran across a brief article filled with so much misinformation about dentistry in horses and its relationship to their nutrition that I had to pick it apart. Join me on this quick rant about science (or the lack thereof) and the efforts of its findings to mislead horse owners about their horses' care. I then added the past dental report of a horse I saw today. The bottom line is this: Floating teeth is all about removing oral pain from horses, nothing more.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 105 “The Relationship Between Dentistry and Nutrition In Horses And A Thanksgiving Message” by Geoff Tucker,...

16/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 104 “A New Arthritis Treatment For Horses, PPID (Cushing's), Equine Endocrine Disease (Insulin Resistance), And Vitamin E For Horses - Presentations At An Equine Veterinary Conference” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 15, 2023

Here are the lectures covered on this day.

1) A Review Of A Novel Treatment For Equine Osteoarthritis: Intra-articular 2.5% Polyacrylamide Hydrogel—Megan Green, DVM—A product manufacturer presented this talk. She described using a registered medical device injected into the joints of horses (and humans) that helps cushion the concussion and provides scaffolding for cartilage repair.

2) Diagnosis Of PPID In Practice - Dianne McFarlane, DVM - "This is a dopaminergic neurodegenerative disease." You must have clinical signs despite the blood work. It is a catabolic disease, so the horse must be losing weight: these and other tidbits.

3) Prevention Of Endocrinopathic Laminitis By IDing ID—Dianne McFarlane, DVM—She discusses how insulin is involved in laminitis, though it raises some questions about other causes. She also discusses testing, including the oral glucose tolerance test and others, as well as prevention and treatment.

4) Treating Equine Endocrine Disease: Is There Anything New? - Dianne McFarlane, DVM - She discusses diet, metformin, and SGLT2 inhibitors.

5) Vitamin E For Horses: What Veterinarians Need To Know - Kelly Vineyard, PhD - The diseases of vitamin E in horses are discussed, along with familiar dietary sources for horses. She promotes a Purina balancer product, explaining why this product is suitable for all horses.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 104 “A New Arthritis Treatment For Horses, PPID (Cushing's), Equine Endocrine Disease (Insulin Resistance), ...

16/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 103 “Equine Respiratory Diseases, Equine Coronavirus, EPM, And An Assortment Of Gait Problems In Horses - Presentations At An Equine Veterinary Conference” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 8, 2023

Here are the lectures covered on this day.

1) Relevance Impact of Common and Lesser Characterized Respiratory Viruses Associated With Upper Airway Disease. Nicola Pusterla, DVM. This talk focuses on identifying common viruses and separating them from common bacterial infections of the upper airway. Discussion includes Equine Herpes Viruses 1&4, 2&5, Equine Influenza Virus, Equine Rhinitis Virus, and the bacteria Strep equi. Prevention is also touched on.

2) Coronavirus In Horses: Any Reason To Panic? Nicola Pusterla, DVM. Whether horses can get or give Sars-CoV-2 from or to humans is discussed. The Equine Coronavirus, unlike Covid-19, affects the gastrointestinal tract. Should we worry about this?

3) Protozoal MuloWHAT? Updates You Must Know. Nicola Pusterla, DVM. Equine Protozoal Myelitis (EPM) is one of three protozoal diseases horses can be affected by. This article discusses how they are differentiated and treated and preventive measures.

4) Gait Deficits Associated with the Cervical-Thoracobrachial (CTB) Syndrome—Jean-Marie Denoix, DVM—This part of the spine includes the neck and vertebrae near the withers. It also includes the forearm area, specifically the innervation of the forelimb and the relative position of these nerves to the vertebra and the first rib.

5) Gait Deficits Associated With Thoracolumbar Conditions—Jean-Marie Denoix, DVM—This part of the spine is the collection of the vertebrae between the front limbs and the hind limbs. He discusses Spondylosis and Kissing Spine.

6) Gait Deficits Associated To Sacroiliac Injuries - Jean-Marie Denoix, DVM - The discussion revolves around injuries to the pelvis and its connection to the spinal vertebra and the associated neurologic damage.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 103 “Equine Respiratory Diseases, Equine Coronavirus, EPM, And An Assortment Of Gait Problems In Horses - Pr...

15/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 102 “Injury Prevention In Horses And The Equine Social License To Operate - Presentations At An Equine Veterinary Conference” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 1, 2023

Here are the lectures covered on this day.

1) Why Understanding Injury Pathogenesis Is Important, Chris Kawcak, DVM. He first discusses why understanding injury is essential, then moves to define lameness versus asymmetry. The problem is predicting the outcome for individual horses.

2) Using What We Know To Influence Injury Prevention, Chris Kawcak, DVM. The task of identifying at-risk horses before they are injured. This discussion had four parts: 1) external data using wearable devices, 2) internal data, 3) perceptual well-being, and 4) readiness. He touches on machine learning (AI), reiterating the importance of quickly predicting before they occur.

3) Medical Perspectives in the Equine Social License to Operate, Chris Kowcak, DVM. This talk was about how the world perceives the use of horses in sports, which has caused losses in industries such as Greyhound racing and reduced the workforce in all horse-related endeavors. He discussed the industry's efforts to provide transparency to improve things for horses.

4) Update on Yearling Thoroughbred Repository Findings, Chris Kowcak, DVM. This well-funded study brought radiographs of 2-year-old sale Thoroughbreds that independent radiologists assessed. Then, race results analyzed a year later helped to look back on the radiographic findings with a clearer insight into their ability to predict injury or lack of further damage based on lesions seen.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 102 “jury Prevention In Horses And The Equine Social License To Operate - Presentations At An Equine Veterin...

13/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 101 “Regenerative Medicine, Emergency Vet Services, And Joint Supplements - Presentations At An Equine Veterinary Conference.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 25, 2023

Here are the lectures covered on this half day.
1) Healing With Horse Power, Liberty Getman, DVM—discussing regenerative medicine for osteoarthritis using IRAP (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein), PRP (platelet-rich plasma), Restigen®, Pro-Stride®, and PPP (platelet-poor plasma).

2) Emergency Service: Thinking Outside The Box, Amy Grice, DVM - The crisis of the reduction of equine veterinary practitioners is addressed, specifically in the ability to provide emergency care for clients. 24/7 availability ranks as the #1 reason a client chooses a veterinarian and the #2 reason practitioners quit.

3) The Science Of Joint Supplements: What Does The Evidence Say? Chris Elliott, MRCVS—This is a discussion of the various supplements used to relieve pain from joints with osteoarthritis. He notes that we are moving away from pain medication towards antioxidant supplements that remove the cause of pain.

4) This wasn't at the meeting but was worth reporting on. The Horse magazine posts a question about soybean meal (SBM), which the principal equine nutritionist at Purina answers. I discussed her response. Interestingly, I met her a few days later at this conference.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 101 “Regenerative Medicine, Emergency Vet Services, And Joint Supplements - Presentations At An Equine Veter...

08/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 100 “FAEP Meeting And Other Things.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 18, 2023

This week, the annual Florida Association of Equine Practitioners meeting is in Palm Beach, FL. I review the topics to be covered, helping you see what the world of practicing equine veterinarians is discussing.

I also discuss the importance of the insulin-to-glucagon ratio in adding or removing body fat as a glimpse of the detailed discussion on the recent membership “Rounds With Doc T.”

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 100 “FAEP Meeting And Other Things.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 18, 2023This week, the annual...

04/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 99 “Vitamins In Horse Feed” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 11, 2023

I want to give horse owners a different perspective on whether to feed their horses vitamins. Most discussions on this subject discuss what diseases are prevented by supplementing with which vitamin. I will not repeat this because 1) others have done this, and 2) there needs to be more good science behind their findings. Instead, I will tell you how vitamins work, if supplementation works, and the difference between vitamins from food, food sources, and chemicals like coal tar.

As a thought experiment, I asked listeners if giving synthetic vitamins (and amino acids) can cause inflammation. I also asked if processed foods have more health benefits than whole foods, identifying some unique situations where they may be indicated (soybean meal).

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 99 “Vitamins In Horse Feed” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 11, 2023I want to give horse owners a d...

02/07/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 98 “The Identity Of An Equine Veterinarian ” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 4, 2023

What is an identity? Is it what makes you an individual, or does it make you identical to others? Which one is it for an equine veterinarian? As the number of veterinary schools and new graduates increases, the latter definition of identity generates like-minded, cookie-cutter professionals focused on themselves rather than the people they serve.

Yes, after today's farm visits, I'm a bit angry. I talk about it on this podcast, knowing that some veterinarians may not like what they hear. I hope you hear my passion and don't call me names like "old school." But too many horse owners spend their time with me complaining about the veterinary care available to them. These complaints range from no veterinary care offered in their area to new vets afraid of horses to high prices with poor outcomes.

Only 1.4% of graduates in the United States become horse vets (56 total in 2022), and half quit within five years (28). Why? Could the vet schools be training students to look inward for satisfaction rather than outward at who they serve? If veterinarians forgot about work-life balance, inclusion, equality, and salary and focused on serving people as an honor and a privilege, being grateful for every opportunity to do what we only dreamed about before graduating, there would be less quitting and more happiness. However, in every professional journal, much attention is spent on making the veterinarian happy through social programs and money.

The solution is simple. Veterinarians serve the person asking for help through their animal. Thinking about this may take a moment, but passion develops by serving the owners through their horses. Passion drives you to do more than is expected, and gratefulness is the addicting reward. While this applies to all vets and other professionals, large animal vets (horse, cattle, swine, poultry, small ruminants) are unique because they must work in harsh environments and risk their lives driving and working in uncertain environments with large animals. I wouldn't want it any other way

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 98 “The Identity Of An Equine Veterinarian ” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on October 4, 2023What is an ide...

25/06/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 97 “ Metabolic Syndrome In Horses Part Two by Geoff Tucker, DVM.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on September 27, 2023

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a collection of factors and events within the horse affected by food, stress, and sleep. This podcast focuses on the fact that behind the top three causes of medical deaths in humans (atherosclerosis/cardiovascular disease, cancer, cognitive disorders) is a metabolic system not functioning to its full potential. Could a poor metabolic system also be causing health issues in horses? I believe it does.

In the last podcast (Part One), I reviewed the basics of the ingested materials (air, water, minerals, fats, sugars, and proteins) and their functions within the body. I also covered the role of insulin and insulin resistance and their relationship to metabolic syndrome. I also discussed the secondary diseases of EMS, including laminitis and muscle loss.

In this podcast (Part Two), I narrow the discussion to fat storage and its' role in inflammation, mitochondrial flexibility to partition the fuels used in power production, the role of exercise in glucose uptake, and balancing the amount of calories in with calories used.

Correct metabolic functioning depends on balancing food consumed (as calories in) with using that food (as calories used). When this balance is heavy on the food eaten, metabolic syndrome follows with its associated illnesses, breakdowns, and early death. But if the balance goes the other way (excess work, stress, poor sleep, or absence of food), death will occur, too. Healthspan and longevity come from a perfect balance between the two.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 97 “ Metabolic Syndrome In Horses Part Two by Geoff Tucker, DVM.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on Septemb...

23/06/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 96 “ Metabolic Syndrome In Horses by Geoff Tucker, DVM.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on September 20, 2023

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a collection of factors and events within the horse affected by food, stress, and sleep. This podcast summarizes general information for most horse owners. While preparing it for broadcast, I realized that making a part two would help further understand the questions raised within this podcast.

This podcast covers the ingested materials (air, water, minerals, fats, sugars, and proteins) and what they do within the body. It covers the role of insulin, insulin resistance, and its relationship to metabolic syndrome. The secondary diseases of EMS, including laminitis, muscle loss, and others, are also discussed.

I make this all understandable for those without scientific minds. After all, if you can't understand how to feed them, how will you be able to Help Horses Thrive In A Human World? Unfortunately, we depend on misinformation from product marketing, causing most of the lameness and illnesses of horses today. We must get our horses' metabolism right to do "the best for our horses." Feeding them according to their evolution, adjusting to their current environment, reducing their stress, and improving their sleep are all necessary.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 96 “ Metabolic Syndrome In Horses by Geoff Tucker, DVM.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on September 20, 20...

16/06/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 95 “ Scientific Studies, Marketing, and Horse Care ” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on September 13, 2023

For many of us, it's hard to understand math. But twisting numbers to explain what we observe only makes things worse. With confusion in our understanding of what the scientists find in an experiment, we turn to others, like magazines, news articles, and social media, for a distilled explanation. Further, we assume these distillers of information have it right, but unfortunately, they usually don't.

Most horse owners only want to do what is best for their horses. We spend money on anything that sounds good. Yet, we often don't see the results claimed by the science-backed studies. Why is this? Are the products made poorly? Or could the science these products are based on be wrong?

In this podcast, I explain in easy terms how a thought becomes a study and how the results are analyzed with math to predict if something causes disease and, more importantly, if it is clinically meaningful. The bottom line of how science affects our horses is why we must consider these basic ideas and analyze the data ourselves to Help Horses Thrive In A Human World™.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 95 “ Scientific Studies, Marketing, and Horse Care ” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on September 13, 2023Fo...

12/06/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 93 “Is Passion Missing In Veterinarians Today?” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 30, 2023

The road near our house is under construction, causing traffic snarls for over a year, and completion this year is unlikely at the work rate seen this weekend. Two days are dead quiet on the construction site. From Friday night to Sunday night, workers do everything except build the new highway: family time, sports, and recreation. Why? Because road construction is a job. These people may be good, or even the best at what they do. But at the end of the day, making a road is just a job that doesn’t call you when the road develops a pothole.

Veterinary medicine is a calling, a passion, that drives people to do extraordinary things, such as commit to healing animals at any moment, despite the personal cost. Today, however, veterinary medical organizations are spending a lot of time working to change the profession to meet the perceived needs of veterinarians. Ignored are the animals and their owners. In this podcast, I discuss that rather than adjusting to the social norms and a balance of work and life goals, vet schools and professional organizations should focus on returning to the passion of helping horses and their owners.

The obstacles to returning to passionate care seem insurmountable: debt, low pay, and the social perception of family over job. And to this last thought, family always trumps job. But is being a veterinarian a job? Only if horses are robots. Being a vet, especially a horse vet, is a calling that is not for everyone and does not fit the standard social patterns of today. It is similar to deciding to have a child or committing to a relationship; it is a commitment to passion, and there are no days off.

I finally offer the only solution - Enjoy every moment with every horse and accept the challenges and hardships, as nothing is better than helping horses (and their owners) thrive in a human world. If you are faithful to your calling, your friends and family will understand, but never forget them and deliver to them your all when you can. You will always satisfy your family if you remain passionate about giving to others.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 93 “Is Passion Missing In Veterinarians Today?” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 30, 2023The road nea...

03/06/2024

Howdy , we are at 999 subscribers! Thanks for helping us grow this much! Who can help us cross to get to 1000? More great videos are on the way 🤠

"Helping Horses Thrive in a Human World" ™

27/05/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 92, “EOTRH (Equine Odontoplastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis), Donkey Dentistry, and Cheek Tooth Extractions” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 23, 2023

This podcast covers three topics related to horse dentistry: EOTRH (Equine Odontoplastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis), dentistry in donkeys at The Donkey Sanctuary in the UK, and the problems that can occur with cheek tooth extractions in horses.

Dentistry in horses is what I have done since 1983 and exclusively since 1998. I draw conclusions about dentistry by studying the correlations between diet, age, surgery, and other factors that affect horses' teeth. But in an era where we want evidence-based studies to prove causation, no randomized, controlled, double-blinded studies have come about in the field of oral health for horses. The section on EOTRH comes from finding an osteopath on Facebook who questioned the validity of removing all incisors affected by this disease. The other two sections are good-looking papers discussing the titled subjects but raise more questions while avoiding other reasonable points.

As usual, I discuss the ideas and observations honed from experience and question some of the authors' and FB posters' conclusions. This rebuttal is needed because well-done articles published in prestigious journals by sincere and experienced authors may erroneously persuade readers to accept the findings without question. Facebook posts often receive unwarranted validation just based on their online existence. Worse, this information may cause acts on horses (extraction of incisors, extraction of cheek teeth, not feeding enough protein) based on this information without a rebuttal argument to the conclusions stated, which is not in the horse's best interest.

More data is needed, which will never happen because of the cost of studying these problems with no return on the investment. All we have is experience and observations. We need an open conversation without fear of challenging rebuttal to find what is valid.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 92, “EOTRH (Equine Odontoplastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis), Donkey Dentistry, and Cheek Tooth Ext...

18/05/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 91, “Since The Days Of The Romans Chapters 16, 17, and 18.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 16, 2023

This podcast covers chapters sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans—My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. If you are new to this podcast, please go to podcast # 078 to start from the beginning of this book. This podcast is the final episode of the book's reading. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey.

May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to becoming an equine veterinarian?

In 2014, I wrote my autobiography to help others trying to find their way but having obstacles block their path. This recording is my story of finding my passion while overcoming my obstacles: I was a a poor reader and student, a three-time college dropout, and good at everything but finding no spark to become proficient, discovering horses, my wife, and gaining entry into Cornell University and then Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine.

As homage to my half-century, I read my book, "Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey of Discovering a Life with Horses," on this and future podcasts. But there's more! At the end of each chapter, I tell a "True And Incredible Story Of A Horse Vet." These tales are from my life as a veterinarian to break up my life's journey in the book from childhood to my graduation day from Cornell's Veterinary College.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 91, “Since The Days Of The Romans Chapters 16, 17, and 18.” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 16, 2023...

15/05/2024

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 90: “Why Are Horse Vets Becoming Harder To Find?” By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 9, 2023

It is a simple math problem, as easy as a homeowner’s budget. If more equine vets leave practices than there are coming into practices, there will be fewer to care for our horses. Just like the expression, there are more months than money.

The reasons fall into several groups. The first and most important reason is money. Small animal vets make about double what a horse vet makes. The second reason is time, divided into the time behind the wheel traveling to farms in rural areas and the time required for a few vets to cover the practice over 24 hours, seven days a week. The defining aspect of the third group is this generation’s work expectations, where life outside of work is expected.

This podcast only partially discusses all factors involved in the diminishing supply of equine veterinarians. It can’t. The AVMA and the AAEP are working tirelessly to correct the imbalance. The veterinary schools are doubling their annual output of veterinarians. However, it is essential to understand the horse owners’ effect on the equation. In basic terms, if our horses were less sick or lame, the need for horse vets would decrease. Veterinary organizations will never address this concept for obvious reasons. But here, at The Horse’s Advocate, I can look at this approach to resolving the problem.

Getting your horse’s house in order is a concept that reduces illness and lameness in horses, making their lives better. It also lowers horse owners’ costs and loss of use of their investment, a win-win situation. As a result, it reduces the veterinarian’s workload, allowing them more free time. But there is a problem. Veterinarians’ expenses are increasing (education, medicine, equipment, labor) while the workload decreases (population of horses and owners willing to pay), driving up the cost of care. Adding to this is the combination of work sent to dentists, bodyworkers, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and other “para-veterinary” workers, which removes income opportunities for the equine vet.

Equine veterinarians are in a crisis, and no single viable solution appears. Vets want to do all the work on horses within a 9-to-5 workday and have weekends off. Air conditioning, heating, and bringing your horse to their clinic would be sweet. Horse owners making their horses healthier may be the best solution, where all parties win.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 90: “Why Are Horse Vets Becoming Harder To Find?” By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on August 9, 2023It is a si...

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Videos

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

The Horse's Advocate Podcast #001 "Medications in Equine Dentistry" - Horse Talk with Geoff Tucker, DVM.

Howdy! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I am extra thankful for everyone who has joined our community at The Horse’s Advocate! I am really excited for the horses we are helping and horse owners that are growing with us. If you haven’t joined us already, be sure to check out our exclusive community for horse owners featuring: Live Events with Geoff Tucker, DVM Exclusive Members ONLY Activity Feed Active Discussion Board with Geoff Tucker, DVM Direct Messaging ( Including Geoff Tucker, DVM ) The Horse’s Advocate University ( Full E-Courses ) Exclusive Members ONLY Groups The Horse’s Advocate Library ( Digital E-Books ) Access to Past Event Recordings As a special thank you for the Holiday season, we are giving 57% off our membership pricing for the lifetime of your active account. Just enter “ Thanks2021 “ at checkout. https://info.thehorsesadvocate.com/membership1

Happy Thanksgiving! 🤠

Summer Testimonial

Horse personalities, old horses and flabby tongue

Cheek Tooth Fractures

Horses teeth break all the time. Mostly their cheek teeth. Every tooth has several pulp chambers. And when these decay it creates what we call a sagittal fracture.

Student Chelsea and the variety of what we saw today

You take care of horses teeth over time, they'll start to line up like they've been wearing braces. Today, we got to see a bunch of horses that we do on a regular basis, and their teeth are beautiful because of it. And these old geriatric horses don't have loose or wiggly teeth, or smells in the mouth...

Student Chelsea and the variety of what we saw today

Collins Testimonial

In this short testimonial, Kirsten tells us the story of her horse Moe, and how a visit from Dr. Tucker helped not only Moe, but also helped her choose this style of equine dentistry.

Why we are passionate about teaching Horsemanship Dentistry

I was with a client whose job it is to teach our men and women how to fly the F-15 fighter jet. And we started talking about school and educating students and what we like about it. And the thing we like about it the most is we get to teach what we know and to teach it really, really well. If you would like to learn more about our school click http://theequinepractice.rurl.me/hd34a

Eruption Bumps

When you get a young horse for the first time, sometimes you'll see they get these bumps along their jawline, sometimes on the face, roughly the size of a golf ball or less on a pony. These are called eruption bumps.

Student Chelsea floating one of her first of many

It's so cool to get to do what we do and teach people how to do these things. This is a clip from a past live feed we shot while we were teaching some really great students.